Members of ACC, Dasho Neten Zam as lead person, are extremely doing fantastic job to discover hidden secret, worst secret of someone’s life, in the Gyelposhing land allotment case. This is one of the countless initiatives taken by ACC for the country, government and people not only of this generation, but also for the generations ahead. I personally appreciate and SALUTE the ACC team. Hat off to ACC!

Let me express my sincere apology to the accused if you are not guilt. But know that such illegal decisions made by misusing your power anger, confuse and rage your faithful subordinates. And ACC, if you are wrong with what you are doing, this may be end to your role. But I am hopeful that ACC may not be 100% wrong as our society is not free of such rubbish practices.

I as a Bhutanese citizen, I think I am also equally responsible as ACC is, but sorry I cannot do anything for ACC with this matter. It is really a thought-provoking scenario due to senior citizens and officials involved in such nasty activity, act of a traitor if ACC is right, that will affect life of 1000s and the country as a whole. I just wonder and think what they are going to do to the TSA-WA-SUM. Debates are still on and no final verdict has issued to any litigant. If ACC proves all acts of corruption by these members to be true, they should be hanged to death. They committed biggest crime: robbery, forgery, terrorism, betrayal, dictatorship, and so on. I am writing this because I am angered by act of corruption in Bhutan. Immediate bosses practice corruption in a small organizations and institutions. Dzongdags practice corruption at Dzongkhag levels. And today, if ministers are charged for the act of corruption, I am speechless. What should I say? Who should I seek for help? Is it a kind of administration that small and underdeveloped country like Bhutan should have? It makes me puke and feel SHAME on myself. How greedy, avaricious, hoggish you are? How many of your kind will you produce before you leave for the hell? Think! Think! Think!

I quote Abraham Lincoln. “You can fool some of the people all of the time, and all of the people some of the time, but you cannot fool all of the people all of the time”

Despite the media giving all coverage of information pertaining to Gyelposhing land allotment case; it is seemed to have talked less by people. Such issues just can’t go so silent. This must nudge every citizen to fight corruption. It is also possible that someone raised this issue and KOL didn’t publish. But, I think such issues be it from journalist or readers, should be given top priority.

Thank you ACC. You, at least, make me feel safe in Bhutan. I am there to fight corruption along with you. I don’t care whether other people bother it or not.

Is there anyone willing to join ACC if not me? or We ruin everything for our children.

I believe in Simpson and believed in ACC. ACC did their part. But the defendant, Home minister and Speaker are not at all accepting the fault played even when the committee members point them as main culprit. Being citizen of the country and people of Monggar Dzongkhag, I am responsible to witness the show staged by the highest officials of my country. I will be diligent to witness and note the key points for post conference.

These following questions always dangle in my mind.
1. Didn’t Home minister and Speaker trust ACC before they were caught?
2. Aren’t lyempo and Speaker thinking as Monggar Dzongdag while in court?
3. How many ministers own land in Gyelpozhing?
4. Why they see this case as illegal when most of their subordinates lost trust on them?
5. What is the intention of Speaker for inviting live media inside court?
6. Why ACC’s suspension order not imposed on home minister and Speaker?
7. Who supported to lift suspension order of other civil servants who involved in small corrupt
practices?

I hope the judgment made by Monggar Drangpon would be fair to the people of the country.

The speakers demand for presence of Dasho Neten in the court is highly personalized. We can already see the guilt in it. The case should not have been viewed from the point of personal interest. It’s the greatest job done by the ACC which will go a long way in eradicating corruption. People of Bhutan are with ACC and we await for a fair judgement.

We support Simpson . But majority common citizens says it is just a drama and finally nothing will happen to the high profile culprits. “ACC is beating lightly and making more sound and high profile culprits are pretending of crying loudly and painfully.We fear that, Aum Neten and team may become scapegoat in this case and all the subordinates staffs involved in the case will become victim of circumstances.

The comments of common people are as under :-

The defendant/s says, it was not happened during the time of democratic ruling government. and all the works done properly as per Royal command. But , we have not read/heard ACC rebuttal on this statement.Therefore, ACC need to tell defendant/s that such illegal act has disobeyed our Royal command . If they are found guilty, they have acted against the Tsa-wa-sum and needs to be booked under anti national activities.

As our PM says ” being the first democratic elected Govt. his Govt. will not set any wrong precedent and also said that, defendant/s are not guilty and party/Govt will support the defendant and may approach to highest court of Law for justice. … I am confused ? Govt. is losing trust and faith on constitutional body approved by the Highest authority of Bhutan on the recommendation/nominated by the very Govt. Therefore, I hope and pray that…our leaders will not use ACC as political weapon like CBI in India.

The common people says, we do not remember high profile people completing full jail terms in Bhutan.They are either remain most of the times in hospital cabins( luxury) or release after few months/years , after depositing cash for remaining jail term. It is rumor that, they are exempted from working like other ordinary prisoners in the jail and allowed to eat special food (separately) and high profile visitors are allowed to visit and meet the prisoners as per their convenient time. They/relatives even offer gift/s or cash selora to the guards to enjoy some favor . It may not be true….. but people say this….., prisoners are allowed to use mobile by the guard/s and even allowed to keep personal mobile for short period.

I still don’t understand what ACC is trying to prove! It could be either they are genuinely concerned about corruption or as ACC too is manned by humans, it could also be politically motivated, personal vendetta or maybe trying to prove that they could bring down anyone. Whatever it is, the ball is in the court of judiciary and they should deliver the justice in true sense. They should neither get intimated by big shots nor bow down to media pressure.
As justified by defendant, it happened long time back under totally different system. To me, i find it bit bizarre the way it is prosecuted. The land was purchased by project authority legally and later, given to locals and other high profile people and most importantly, everyone paid for the rate fixed by the committee. It was around 40,000 to 50,000 per plot which is lot of money. I am sure not everyone at that time could afford to pay that amount when even dzongdags salary was less than 10,000 per month. With that amount of money at that time, people could have easily purchased plot in Thimphu and Phuentsholing where the pace of development was taking faster even those days. However, with good intention to expedite development in eastern region and, thinking that allocating plot to influential people could make investment and have better policies thereby speeding the development activities. It might or might not have happened today, but then the intention was good. Nothing was given free, and if it was unlawful, i am sure many influential people who know the law wouldn’t have purchased when they knew that, with that amount of money they could have easily purchased from better places like thimphu, pling and gelephu.
These two defendants and committee members are just scapegoats. Today, people including ACC are prosecuting as if Dzongdags had super power that time! They were just dzongdags and above them, there were bosses like minister, prime minister and others. All these people knew about this plot allotment and some even bought but nobody talks about them. I am not disputing that there won’t be lapses but if one has to dig past, i am sure there will be many more which are much worst than this case. Go back to 90’s and 80’s, there will be more severe crimes that we can’t imagine if we have to dig everything.
Whatever it is, this case will set precedence and ACC will have lot of work to do. These defendants are investigated and charged under 1953 thrimchung chhenmo and i am sure ACC will have so many other cases to be investigated between 1953 to 2008.

By the way, what happened to the suspension order issued by ACC to these defendants and it was appealed to supreme court.

i am not so elated by the rights we have bestowed on ACC, esp. with the ongoing land case.Our country is undergoing drastic changes.Being said that 10 years back from now is totally a different scenario.Constitution wasn’t there.it was a rule by most verbal orders and few in written.If ACC very much like to have time pass, they can investigate all the alive Gups of few decades back.I recall, my grandfather who was the then GUp, wouldn’t work much in field.Indeed he would misuse the public rations and budgets.I might even testify against him, if ACC are so much on fire.
Success of ACC lies in few no. of corruptions and not in putting a multitude of people behind bars.
I personally feel, Speaker and Home minister were just a puppet following orders for the welfare of nation,in doing so,they had to put some people behind, that for the sake of nation’s development. One even donated to the monastic body.It is not within the law but morally he did what was to be right.Cant believe that,the people served all along the Bhutanese developments so far are being finally accused.We wouldn’t be here where we are right now if it wasn’t for those people.they did what they could do best in those times.

In kuensel of January 23, speaker still defies charges against him. He is reluctant to admit the smallest mistake he committed to allot plots for people. Now I feel for him as he repeatedly says nothing illegal has happened. He is right. He allotted plots to people prioritizing people who liked to run business in bigger or smaller scale.

Now my QUESTION is, how did the baby sitters, the wives, the siblings and the relatives of land allotment committee get their share of plot from Gyalposhing?

For example, out of 100 plots, commercial and residential, allotted to the eligible people, even if ONE had been allotted to baby sitter, wife, sibling or relatives illegally using your power, that will be counted as corruption and ACC has right to act on it. Perhaps, the guilt are NOT AWARE that ACC charges people for corruption even for embezzling NU.1, that does not belong to you and you don’t have right to use it.

Inviting media in the court is a play of politician. He wants to keep himself clean from outside in front of his voters. There is nothing to do such egoistic play. Unless you grab yet another plot from Radhi, Merak and Sakteng and serve them well, this wont affect your status and trust that people have on you. Mistake is with everyone. To be materialistic is what everyone thinks. But if you don’t accept your mistake fight people for your mistake’s right, then you are …………………… (Someone fill in the blank, please)

Drangpons shouldn’t feel afraid of those red scarfs. The court should seized the land, cancel present ownership and re-allot to people following correct procedure.

Reopening of a case of decades ago is not an unconstitutional act anyway.

Yes, there could be procedural lapses but i don’t see any specific law being violated intentionally. The committee has set criteria that commercial area will be allotted to people who has business license in local area and, for residential area, it was open to all i.e. any Bhutanese. Now, whether these criteria have violated any specific law or not is yet to be proven. It is also important to understand that gyalposhing land allotment was slightly different from other township land allotments like Bumthang town, Bajo town etc where it was shift from old town to new town. There, it was easy to allot as people residing in old towns were eligible for plot in new town. For gyalposhing, it was totally new town, and prior to that, there were only few shops in project area and kurizampa area. Mongar already had their own town. So, after allotting to the few shopkeepers (around 15 to 20 nos), rest were given to other people. Of course after paying the amount fixed by the committee.

Now, as of wives and baby sitters getting the plot-since residential plots were open to all, why don’t they have a right to get like any other Bhutanese as long as they pay the amount fixed by the committee? Now, whether they followed the procedure set by committee or not is the issue being discussed and debated in the court. But, certainly, there is no criminal intend and it really doesn’t warrant prosecuting on criminal charges. Like any other, it should have been charged as civil case and, if found guilty, penalize as per the law. Here, i question why ACC has to charge criminally and issue suspension order which was proved wrong in high court verdict. ACC act has specifically stated that they should issue suspension order only “if his or her attendance in his public office is likely to impede the investigation proceeding or when there is likelihood of available evidence being influenced, removed or tampered from the official record which may be under his or her subordinate’s guardianship”. In this case, it was already investigated and the case was filed to the court. So, where is the question of impeding the investigation?

I am of the opinion that it might be morally wrong but legally have not violated any laws of the Kingdom of Bhutan. Look at the situation of 1999 and see the prevalent laws. No one would be in comfortable position to quote a appropriate provision of law. Yes there seems to be some procedural lapses, and for such lapses, ACC have been imposing administrative actions in corruption case that they have investigated. Laws, procedures, criterion were confusing during the prevalent time. And benefit of doubt should be always with the accused. I dont know detail about the case but from the coverage, i could understand that there was no criminal intention and at the same time, they have not benefited by allotting plots or not allotting plots. I dont think those committee members would do such acts at the cost of themselves going behind the bars.

I am also opinion that all the people of Bhutan should be given equal treatment. While some were summoned before the Court, some name doesnt appear anywhere for the purpose of civil case or for the purpose of restitution of land to the government.

It maynot be the political move but i think it is the public pressure that made ACC to act upon it even if their Act (Anti-corruption Act) doesnt allow them to prosecute. ACC act is very clear that the ACC can prosecute only if their charged offence is under ACC act. Judiciary should be careful while rendering judgement and have to clearly interpret the laws. This case would go down the history and will be quoted in times to come.

Eagerly waiting for the profound and clear reasoned judgement. Drangpon himself should write the judgement rather than clerks.

Let me share my straightforward opinion on this issue:
Firstly, the supporting actors (minor fishes) should be acquitted and turned into information provider (forgot the legal term for this????) to nail the BIG fishes.
Secondly, I think that there is a limit to rebuttals…so Monger drangpon should pronounce his verdict at the earliest. If you don’t do this, public will say…you are waiting for the verdict to be put into your mouth by Chief Justice and/ Lyonchoen.
Finally and may be most importantly, since the court has taken cognizance (even if the accused is yet to be convicted or finally not convicted at all) of the criminal case against the defendants, they (defendants plus other serving cabinet members) are 100% out of 2013 elections.

I am not demanding the sentence of any land allotment committee member. I just want those people who have obtained land unlawfully at Gyelposhing to return the land to people of that community. No Thimphubs, No Punaps, No Trashigangpa and No Pemagatshelpa has right to own a plot from Gyelposhing unless it has been owned lawfully. If people with political/administrative power continuously snatch land that belong to innocent citizen, what do you think will happen to either parties ultimate? What do you thin will happen to the country ultimately? Such selfish administrative power will ruin happiness of all, give birth to terrorism and will bring chaos all over the country.

Coming to PMs speech to Radhips, he said something wrong. At least she should not say Speaker is not guilt. How does he know about it? The speaker may be guilt, but he himself could not prove it so far. PM must have read a line in kuensel, “Dasho cho Tshelthrim yek cho wa ko la”. This applicant seems to be not knowing the speaker even now. Why she should try to tell lie if she wasn’t a victim. Her statement clearly shows there are number of corrupt practices being carried out while allotting the plots. I don’t care whether DPT government supports these accused or not. What I care is their ownership of illegally obtained land must be cancelled and return to government for redistribution. PM should fully support the people and the law of Bhutan rather than the culprits.

Some forum readers must be thinking why this Simpson is shouting like hell on Gyelposhing land case. To clarify, I have nothing to gain from it. I am innocent 27 yr old Pemagatshelpa. Why I shout? Because I have voted for DPT candidate and supported the party as a whole. When party of my choice fail to do good and does bad instead, that makes me angry really. If they cannot create harmony in the society, I can accept it. But if they create disharmony in the society instead, I cannot accept it at all. PEOPLE OF BHUTAN MUST THINK IN THIS WAY. In Bhutan, to eradicate corruption is matter of few days or weeks. It wont take a month if people join their hands and fight it.

Simpson,
I believe you read the news, but you don’t analyse it.The woman in 40s(not so old for blindness)- and a decade ago, she was in 30s.As she said,she approached the the dasho for land kidu.By which she already knew 10 years ago to whom she approached and she is meeting him after a decade-which should not be so hard to recognise him,after all he is the ONLY speaker in our country.The dialogue you quoted of her is therefore,spoon fed by ACC.ANd she approached him for land kidu,but he is not the right guy for LAND KIDU way back also.Back then, Dzongdas were ordered for town development and not for kidu. Moreover, i don’t find her right to get the land even after receiving compensation.
Coming to ACC,they claim that, they are not political motivated or by personal vandetta.On the other hand, they states crystal clear that the order for investigation came for PM and OAG.Do they have some other bodies to instruct their doings?Don’t they have to follow their act(one of acts states,their invetigation can’t stretch back to before their institution)?Is it morally right to particulary pick up Gyalposhing land case of the past? Don’t our past local heads guilty for their power misused back then?How about the manpower villagers put in for private works of GUPS back then?Was there any transparent accountability for the constructions and maintenance of Lakhangs in villages 10 years ago? Are our people not being corrupted in such ways? Why just hold on one from a lot?…this are the things we get lost into mostly.

Bad day
- to consecrate
- to appoint to new post
- to hand and take over office
- to enter in a new house
- to start new business
- to roof house
- to marry
- to celebrate
- to shift house

A good day for rituals (laza) for those born in the sheep, snake and rooster years.
Generally a good day (sogza) for those born in the snake and horse years.
A bad day (shedza) for those born in the tiger and rabbit years.